R.E. News
Religious Exploration (R.E.) Bundle o' News
If you are interested in being added to the RE listserv or helping with these events please contact Kinsey Moritz.
We require a new registration form for all young people (age 0-18) involved in RE each year to ensure we have correct and up-to-date information for everyone.
Update for RE for week of 10/20/24
RENews:
On Sunday, PreK & Elementary Students continue their exploration of the spiritual practice of deep listening. Our 8th/9th Grade OWL youth were joined by LGTBQ+ community members to share their experiences of gender expression and sexual identity. Thank you so much to the panelists for sharing with our youth! Our 5th/6th Grade OWL youth covered feelings and attraction.
Crossing Paths middle schoolers discussed last week’s visit to the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Raleigh and made their own chalices. The High School Youth Group had a relaxed meeting with pizza and music.
Thank you to all the volunteers, families, children, and youth for participating in RE events at ERUUF this past week.
Important Youth Group update: Youth Groups will now be meeting from 12:30-1:30pm. High School still meets every Sunday, and Middle School still meets every first and third Sunday.
Photos from the morning can be found here.
Update for RE for week of 10/13/24
RENews:
This past weekend was a full and fun one for children, youth, and families at ERUUF. Saturday evening was our annual All Ages Halloween party complete with a great magic show by David Sokal, fun games, a delicious potluck, a haunted trail and laboratory, and time for both Middle School and High School Youth Groups. Many thanks to Cara Lewis, Dave Chilton, Katie Barnhill, James Lewis, and Devin Chilton for leading this fantastic event. Additional thank yous to all the volunteers, families, children, and youth that made the evening possible!
Photos from the Halloween Party can be found here.
On Sunday, PreK & Elementary Students began exploring the theme of deep listening, OWL classes met, MSYG gathered, and our 9th & 10th graders participated in the Coming of Age Orientation. The Crossing Paths Middle Schoolers visited the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Raleigh, attended service, and visited with their Middle Schoolers before heading back to ERUUF. Thank you to all the volunteers, families, children, and youth that participated in this very full weekend!
Photos from the morning can be found here.
Update for RE for week of 9/29/24
RENews:
After the Volunteer Dedication in the service (where we bless and thank our amazing teachers, advisors, and volunteers.) Children and youth handed each volunteer a rose as a small token of our appreciation for all their efforts. The children and youth of ERUUF enjoyed another fun morning together exploring the spiritual practice of invitation through games, stories, and bonding activities.
Our middle schoolers in the Crossing Paths program learned about our 8 Practices of Welcoming in preparation for our first off-campus visit: the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Raleigh! Middle School Youth Group had a bountiful sandwich bar (thanks for your help, guardians!) and played games for a special 2-hour “fun day.” High School Youth Group had a relaxed hangout with board games and conversations about our Lock-In coming up this Saturday.
Photos from the morning can be found here.
Update for RE for week of 9/22/24
RENews:
RE had another wonderful Sunday, amidst the lively and festive atmosphere of the Connections Fair. PreK and elementary students continued to explore the spiritual practice of invitation by thinking about how we want to be in community with each other when we gather. Class covenants were co-created by and the time together finished by flying decorated paper airplanes off the bridge into the newly updated playground.
Our middle schoolers in the Crossing Paths program learned about water communion and religious pluralism. Rev. Jim stopped in to answer questions and share some UU history. Instead of meeting formally, HSYG explored the Connections Fair!
Special thanks to Arco Williams for so thoughtfully organizing and creating the RE Connections Fair Booth! Special thanks to Cara Lewis, Celena Urquia, and Galen Jackson for helping with the RE and OWL booths!
We hope to see you at ERUUF this Sunday!
Photos from the morning can be found here.
Update for RE for week of 9/15/24
RENews:
Children, youth, and families gathered this Sunday to begin the 2024-25 ERUUF RE offerings. PreK & elementary students explored the theme of invitation as a spritual practice and gathered in their age based class for the first time since the spring. There was much excitement over the new play structure in our playground! OWL classes continued this Sunday with the 5th/6th graders covering Images in Pop Culture and the 8th/9th graders covering Sexual Orientation.
Our middle schoolers and their parents attended the Crossing Paths Orientation to learn about the opportunities they will have this year to learn more about UUism and other faith traditions. The Sunday gathering ended with both, Middle School and High School Youth Group having a pizza lunch together, and then connecting in their own spaces.
Thank you to all the volunteers, youth, children, and families that made the beginning of the program year so vibrant and exciting. We are so grateful for each of you!
RE is also looking for a couple volunteers to take individual photographs of children and youth during the first few weeks of RE. We will use these photographs to help our Volunteers learn the children and youth’s names. If you are interested, please let Melissa Smith know.
Photos from the morning can be found here.
Update for RE for week of 9/8/24
RENews:
This past Sunday, our children and youth celebrated the last day of all ages summer RE with chalk painting and popsicles. We begin our focus on the spiritual practice of invitation by creating welcoming messages on the sidewalks of ERUUF with handmade recycled chalk paint. This Sunday we will begin our age level RE classes. We hope that we see you and your family there!
RE is also looking for a couple volunteers to take individual photographs of children and youth during the first few weeks of RE. We will use these photographs to help our Volunteers learn the children and youth’s names. If you are interested, please let Melissa Smith know.
Photos from the morning can be found here.
We are excited to host our Crossing Paths orientation for 6-8th grade youth this Sunday! Youth should bring one parent with them so parents are informed of our field trips for the year. Please come directly to the CARE building at 11am and meet us in Room 4/5.
Youth Groups (Grades 6-12) begin this Sunday! We will meet after second service from 12:45 pm-1:45 pm. Middle School Youth Group will meet in Room 4/5, and High School Youth Group will meet in Room 7.
Update for RE for week of 8/25/24
RENews:
Our children and youth attended the multi-generational Ingathering service with their families and the entire ERUUF community. The 5th/6th Grade Our Whole Lives (OWL) class had their Orientation and first meeting this past weekend. The 8th/9th grade (OWL) class met and covered the topics of Gender Identity, Expression, Roles, and Stereotypes. Special thanks to our OWL Facilitators for getting both grade level OWL classes started! This Sunday will be our last Summer RE, as our age level classes will return on September 8th. Thank you to all the RE Volunteers that make it possible for us to offer wonderful programming for children and youth!
RE is also looking for a couple volunteers to take individual photographs of children and youth during the first few weeks of RE. We will use these photographs to help our Volunteers learn the children and youth’s names. If you are interested, please let Melissa Smith know.
Update for RE for week of 8/18/24
RENews:
Children and youth of ERUUF spent the morning exploring the theme of friendship and interdependence. We made several types of friendship bracelets and played games together. Our 8th/9th Grade Our Whole Lives classes kicked off with Orientation and a Retreat Weekend. Special thanks to the teens and volunteers that spent the weekend with us!
This coming Sunday everyone (including our children and youth) will be attending the Multi-generational Ingathering service, we hope to see you there!
Update for RE for week of 8/11/24
RENews:
The youth and children of ERUUF explored the ERUUF woods together and created storytelling kits to take home. Storytelling can be a powerful part of friendship making, and we look forward to revisiting this topic soon.
This Sunday we will be making friendship bracelets together and continue to focus on what friendship means to us. We hope to see you there!
2024 Coming of Age (COA) Boston Trip Recap
Hello ERUUFians!
As we come into August, I wanted to give you a brief summary of our Coming of Age trip to Boston this summer! I’ve left out our travel on Wednesday and Monday and our meals, all of which were their own adventures. But below you will find the major things we did with some comments our youth sent me about each location we visited!
And a special thank you to all who helped fund and support the trip! We could not have done this without your contributions and care.
